Customer Research/Human Centered Design Lead
About The Position
ICF is seeking an experienced Customer Research / Human Centered Design Lead to guide user and stakeholder research in support of mission-critical systems serving Federal land management agencies, including USFS, USDA, DOI, and BLM. This role ensures that products and services reflect real operational workflows across diverse field and office environments, improving usability, adoption, and mission effectiveness. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in human-centered design and applied research, translating insights from users and stakeholders into actionable recommendations that inform product strategy and system development. Job Location: This position requires that the job be performed in the United States. If you accept this position, you should note that ICF does monitor employee work locations and blocks access from foreign locations/foreign IP addresses, and also prohibits personal VPN connections. You may be asked to travel once a quarter to an office. Our core work hours are 10am - 4pm Eastern Time with the option to start earlier or work later depending on your time zone.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, Public Policy, or related field.
- 8+ years of experience conducting applied research, human-centered design, UX research, or service design, including at least 3 years leading research programs or multidisciplinary research teams.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance; must reside in and be authorized to work in the United States.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, Public Policy, or related discipline.
- Experience supporting Federal agencies or public sector programs.
- Experience conducting field-based research with operational users in complex mission environments.
- Familiarity with human-centered design approaches used in digital services, enterprise systems, or mission support applications.
- Experience translating research insights into product requirements, design improvements, and program strategy recommendations.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate research findings and recommendations to executive or Government audiences.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear insights.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present research findings and recommendations to both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders.
- Proven ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and drive alignment between research insights, product strategy, and system development.
- Ability to manage multiple research initiatives while maintaining high standards of methodological rigor and stakeholder engagement.
Responsibilities
- Lead and execute user and stakeholder research initiatives to inform product strategy, design decisions, and mission outcomes.
- Develop and implement research strategies and study plans using qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, field studies, surveys, and usability testing.
- Conduct research across diverse operational environments, including both field-based and office-based users, to understand workflows, constraints, and mission needs.
- Synthesize research findings into actionable insights, personas, journey maps, and design recommendations that guide product and system development.
- Collaborate closely with Product Owners, designers, and engineering teams to translate research insights into clear requirements and design improvements.
- Lead iterative usability testing and validation activities to ensure solutions reduce user burden and improve system adoption.
- Prepare and present research findings, recommendations, and reports to program leadership and Government stakeholders.
- Guide and mentor multidisciplinary research teams while promoting human-centered design practices across the program.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Number of Employees
1-10 employees
